< Romans 14 >
1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables.
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3 The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him.
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5 One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone.
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For this reason Christ died and returned to life, that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
14 I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil.
Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 Keep your belief about such matters between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.